Stoup Brewing Launching Crowlers

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When you’re at a local craft brewery or craft beer bar and you find a beer on tap that you really enjoy, the first thing you usually want to know is whether or not they package that beer to go. As I’m sure most of you are aware, there are quite a few craft beers out there that don’t get bottled or canned – especially beers that are one-offs. That means, if you want to take some of that great new craft beer you just discovered home with you, your best bet is to see if the brewery or bar can fill you a growler to go.

Growlers are a great option and, varying opinions notwithstanding, I think they do their job quite well. However, using one means you’d have to already own one and remember to have brought it with you, or else you’ll need to spend a little at the brewery or bar (assuming the bar has some to sell) to purchase one before having it filled.

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Craft Beer Monger’s Picks For Seattle Beer Week 11

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Even though I knew it was coming, Seattle Beer Week (SBW) kind of snuck up on me this year. I can’t believe it kicks off in just 2 days! There are a few events that happen each year that I usually attend so I’m set there. However, I didn’t find much time until this past weekend to look over the rest of this year’s SBW events and choose which ones I’d either like to attend myself and/or that I’d like to suggest to you. I’m here to fix that.

How about you? Have you found the time to look over the ever growing list of events on the official Seattle Beer Week website? If not, don’t worry. I took the time to read through the details of every event that’s been posted for this year’s festivities, and I’m here to give you my suggestions for the best events to pick from for Seattle Beer Week #11.  Here we go!

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Gilbert’s Cheese Experience Comes to Stoup Brewing For Seattle Beer Week

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What pairs best with craft beer? That’s a big question and the answer can vary widely depending on what kinds of foods and what styles of craft beers you’re talking about. Do you have any favorite food(s) you enjoy pairing with your favorite beers? You can pair pretty much any type of food with craft beer as long as you stick to the basics of pairing. Do you want the beers you’re paring your foods with to compliment those foods with a similar flavor profile, contrast those foods to help balance things out, or do you want to use the food as a palate cleanser between dishes/courses?

One of the most popular foods to pair with craft beer is cheese. There is such a diversity in the taste, texture and aroma of cheeses that you can really get into exploring different paring options and have a lot of fun with it. If this sounds like something you might enjoy then you’ll want to mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 14th during Seattle Beer Week, when Stoup Brewing Company will host Gilbert’s Cheese Experience for their Seattle debut. Four different Stoup beers will be paired with four different cheeses from Gilbert’s, allowing you to explore and find your favorite pairing.

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Sam Adams Updates The Recipe For Their Summer Ale

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Do you have any favorite recipes? If so, do you share them freely or do you keep them a secret? Colonel Sanders did everything he could to protect KFC’s secret blend of 11 herbs and spices, and Coca-Cola keeps their secret recipe in a pretty serious looking vault, which is actually on display at the World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta. In case you weren’t aware, recipes can’t be copyrighted, which is why KFC, Coke and many other companies go to such great lengths to keep their recipes secret.

Craft breweries may not protect their recipes as fiercely as KFC or Coke, but they still don’t usually make them public or easy to share. They’ll often let you know what hops they use, what malt(s) they use and even which strain of yeast they brewed the beer with but that’s mainly because, for many craft beer enthusiasts, knowing those things can influence their choices. However, unlike KFC or Coke who keep their recipes the same year after year (‘New Coke’ notwithstanding), breweries will sometimes alter the recipes for some of their favorite beers based on feedback from their customers or their own taste buds.

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Hellbent Brewing Prepares To Release Their Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

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Spring is here. Temperatures are on the rise and Summer feels like it’s just around the corner. For some people, this might mean it’s time to put many of the darker, heavier craft beers on the back shelf and bring the lighter, fruitier, earthier, more floral Pales, IPAs, Hefeweizens, Golden Belgian Ales and other lighter styles forward.

You know what I say to that?  I say go to Hell – Hellbent brewing that is. Now don’t get me wrong. I love all those lighter styles too but, warm weather or cold, I always enjoy a rich, dark complex bourbon barrel aged Stout, and that’s exactly what Hellbent Brewing Company will be delivering next month on May 15th.

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Help Two Beers Brewing Climb For A Cause At Their Beer + Gear Sale

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Do you enjoy craft beer? Do you enjoy hiking, climbing and other outdoor activities? Do you enjoy buying your outdoor gear at a good price, all while helping raise funds for Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF)? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then Two Beers Brewing Company (CBM Sponsor) has an event coming up this weekend you might be interested in.

This Sunday, April 20th, Two Beers Brewing kicks off their 4th Annual Beer + Gear sale to benefit WNPF. Last year they raised over $25k, and they’re hoping to outdo themselves this year. Don’t need any beer or new gear? No problem. You can still make a donation to help out WNPF. Details below.

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Chainline Brewing Prepares For Their 4th Anniversary

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Cycling is huge in the Northwest. Far more than just a recreational vehicle, bicycles are the primary mode of transportation for many people around the Puget Sound. That’s a big part of the reason that Chainline Brewing Company in Kirkland is so cycle/outdoor activities-focused. Their name was inspired by the active, outdoor lifestyles that are so prevalent in the Northwest and their brewery and taproom is located right next to the Cross-Kirkland’s bicycle corridor.

Now, I’m not much of a cyclist myself, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy their beers all the same. Their most popular offerings include their Tune Up IPA and their Polaris Pilsner, which won a Silver Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2017. Perhaps you’ll even find a few new favorites from Chainline this weekend, as they prepare to celebrate their 4th Anniversary with the release of 4 different styles of a Saison from their Old Growth Series and the return of some of their most popular offerings from the past.

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Cascade Brewing Releases One Way Or Another 2017

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I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m a big fan of Sour Ales. That puckering tartness they impart can be too much for some, but it tickles my palate’s fancy and I’m always ready to try a new Sour Ale. We have some great local breweries that make some truly amazing Sour Ales, but most of them are relatively new. Before their existence, the best Sour Ales around always came from Cascade Brewing Company out of Portland, Oregon.

Cascade is still tops in my book. They’re one of my favorite Northwest breweries (as my #FF tweets can attest to), and I always keep tabs on what they’re working on next. To that end, I’m pleased to share the news with you that Cascade has released their One Way Or Another 2017 project. The 2017 version is a complex Sour Ale featuring Northwest-grown marionberries and Meyer lemon zest with Sour Blond Ale aged in oak barrels for up to 16 months.

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The 32nd Annual Oregon Brewer’s Festival Is Set For July 24 – 27

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Festivals are a big part of the craft beer World, and a great way to discover new beers and new breweries. New festivals seem to pop up nearly every year and some, including myself, might say we’re starting to get too many. I have a lot of respect, however, for the festivals that helped start the craft beer festival craze and the Oregon Brewer’s Festival, which has been running for more than 30 years now, is definitely one of them.

We have great craft beer here in Washington State for sure, but we also recognize that there is a plethora of craft beer awesomeness coming out of our neighbor to the South. Showcasing all that embodies craft beer (and cider), this year’s Oregon Brewer’s Festival is set for July 24th thru the 27th.

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T-Mobile Park Food & Drink Preview For The 2019 Seattle Mariners Season

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A hot dog and a beer or soda have always been the quintessential food and drink of baseball.  Throw in some peanuts and Cracker Jack and… well, and you might think this piece is being written by some old geezer from the 1940’s. Not quite. I don’t know if 50 qualifies me for geezer status just yet, but I can still fondly remember the days of my youth when a hot dog, a soda (hey, I wasn’t always drinking age!) and a box of Cracker Jack were a big part of what I looked forward to when attending a game.

Things have sure changed, especially at T-Mobile Park (formerly Safeco Field), where your game time food and drink options have become decidedly more gourmet. The food and beer selection at T-Mobile Park has been called some of the very best in the nation. That’s a big reputation for this seasons newcomers to live up to, but I think they can handle the challenge.

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